


Classroom Bonding

by Recluse



Category: Free!
Genre: M/M, Outsider Perspective, stupid married couple
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-20
Updated: 2013-08-20
Packaged: 2017-12-24 03:46:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 952
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/934930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Recluse/pseuds/Recluse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Makoto Tachibana and Haruka Nanase are known school-wide as 'the married couple', 'the honeymoon couple', 'the original stupid couple'.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Classroom Bonding

When one sees Haruka Nanase(better known as 'aqualad' in the small social circles of snickering boys who have known him since grade school), one knows that Makoto Tachibana is not far behind. In fact, most of the time, Tachibana-kun is the first thing to see, since his height and hair sticks out a little from the usual.  
  
(He swears it's natural, Nanase-kun says it's from the chlorine, Tachibana-kun agrees with him. Everyone tries not to vomit when the air around them turns pink, because the only ones that don't notice it are themselves, apparently.)  
  
Still, they come together like a packaged set. One of them without the other is like seeing a sock all alone, or a glove, it just looks lonely. Most of their classmates have an unspoken agreement not to ask what exactly is their relationship, but that doesn't stop the rumors -- they're dating secretly, they're homo for each other but don't know it, Tachibana-kun is in love with Nanase-kun, and some of the wilder girls say that Nanase-kun is obviously in love with Tachibana-kun, but Tachibana-kun acts like he doesn't know to tease him. I've heard worse things, like the wild se- Nevermind.  
  
 _Women,_  I can't help but think. I've known those two since grade school. Tachibana-kun couldn't tease a paperbag that much without feeling bad.  
  
(Personally, I subscribe to the, 'they're in love with each other but haven't done anything' theory. If they had done something by now, everyone would be struggling in the aura of their romance. That's not to say I'm judging them, on the contrary, if they ever split, I'd feel bad for them.)  
  
Today is an interesting day for everyone who puts down money on their relationship, since Tachibana is out with a cold, or so Nanase-kun says. Everyone glances around the room at each other, silently communicating.  
  
 _Nanase-kun will be okay, right?!  
  
Do you think he brought his lunch? Tachibana-kun usually shares with him, right?  
  
He'll probably do the same thing as always, right? He just stares out the window usually.  
  
What will happen if he gets called on? Tachibana-kun always covers for him..._  
  
This is a classroom bonding experience, wondering about Tachibana and Nanase. I pass a note to the girl on the right of me.   
  
 _Nanase is pretty smart. He'll probably be okay for one day, right?_  
  
Ah, by the way, my word on Nanase and Tachibana's relationship is generally accepted because I've known them for a while.  
  
The class quiets down when the teacher comes in, and Nanase-kun says, "He's sick" when Tachibana's name is called.  
  
So far, everything is fine. Everyone starts concentrating, and then I notice something interesting from the corner of my eye.  
  
Nanase had been staring out the window, but now he's staring at Tachibana's desk, and his eyebrow is a little furrowed.   
  
 _I think...He's upset?_  
  
The fujioshi of our class(she swears she isn't one, but we all know), stares in excitement before turning back to her notebook and scribbling something furiously. It might be fanfiction. Our school has a small fanring for those two, and then the rest of the swim club. I don't know and don't want to know how it started up.  
  
Nanase turns back to the window afterwords, but he keeps glancing back to Tachibana's desk, and gradually the atmosphere around him gets gloomier, until the student sitting in front of him turns his head to figure it out. Nanase-kun's head is lying on the desk, facing Tachibana's, and the poor guy in front smiles uncomfortably before turning back to his work.  
  
It's hard to not smile, honestly. Tachibana-kun never gets to see how loved he is.  
  
//  
  
Tachibana-kun comes in the next day, and the rest of us crowd him. "Are you okay, Tachibana-kun?" A girl asks.  
  
"Ah, I'm fine. Sorry to worry you." He smiles, pulling the face mask down for a minute.  
  
The rest of us guys glance at each other, sighs of relief escaping us. If we weren't so confident that Tachibana's head was filled with Nanase-kun, we'd have a real rival for love on our hands.  
  
Speaking of Nanase, I glance around to look for him, but he's right behind Tachibana-kun, and the frown on his face is actually visible, which makes me snicker.  
  
"Makoto."  
  
"Hm, Haru- Ah, hey!" Tachibana-kun stumbles forward, Nanase-kun pushing him past the girls. Not that they mind, they're busying giggling behind their hands, whispering, "Aw, Nanase-kun is actually caring, isn't he?"  
  
Actually, we should all thank god that the both of them are obsessed with each other, because Nanase and Tachibana would be hideous rivals to have in love.  
  
Tachibana though, poor guy, still covers for Nanase when the teacher calls on Nanase-kun and he's asleep. With a little cough, Tachibana-kun stands and smiles at the teacher, saying, "Haru-cha- Haru was up taking care of me yesterday, and couldn't study, so I'll answer."  
  
The love is too strong here, the teacher is probably overwhelmed by it. The rest of the classroom silently speaks.  
 _  
Tachibana-kun really is the perfect husband, huh...  
  
He's so wasted on Nanase-kun, sometimes you end up thinking, right...  
  
They really love each other though, it's impossible to get between them at all...  
  
Do they have to do this every time though? I'm getting jealous..._  
  
The room is significantly more depressed after Tachibana-kun finishes speaking.  
  
I'm significantly more depressed, looking at the both of them, Tachibana-kun poking Nanase-kun gently with a pencil, whispering. Nanase-kun gets up a few minutes later, frowning at him, but everyone who even bothers to look knows that he doesn't let go of the hand with Tachibana's pencil in it until he absolutely has to.  
  
 _Damn married couple,_  I think, frowning,  _stop showing off._


End file.
